Kumite is a part of Karate in which two people practice fighting through attacks and blocks. It is one of the three main parts of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite helps students use what they have learned in real situations.
In sport kumite, it is a simulated fight where two athletes, under set rules and regulations, compete using their skills and techniques to score points based on set criteria and determine the winner.
The English Karate Federation, while not mandated by the World Karate Federation (WKF), does follow WKF rules and regulations. This is to ensure fairness across all competitions and a unified rules set for competing athletes to understand.
These rules and regulations can be adapted to suit the level of competition to differentiate between kyu-grade and dan-grade matches and to ensure the safety of all athletes.
Effective from 1.1.2026, there are some changes to the WKF Competition Rules. This is mostly an adjustment to the language and alignment between the documents describing each event type and the actual competition rules. Nevertheless, there are several points that require the attention of athletes and coaches
A full list of the Kumite rules and regulations can be found below: